U.S. Auto Recalls at an All-Time High for 2016

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Gilbert Law Group

Here at the Gilbert Law Group, we care deeply about the safety of drivers and passengers across the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimated that drivers drove more than 3.2 trillion miles in 2016. Since 2011, the yearly miles driven in the U.S. has increased steadily.

Unfortunately, the number of vehicle recalls was also at an all-time high in 2016, with a total of 53.2 million vehicles recalled by a variety of automakers. The previous all-time high recall record was 51.1 million in 2015, and prior to that, 2014 set a record for preceding years. In addition, when recalls are issued, only about 25% of drivers of recalled vehicles actually get work completed on their cars.

This heightened statistic and the rise in recalls the past 3 years is due in part to massive recalls of Tanaka Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators, which led to at least 16 deaths reported across the globe, and is the largest auto safety recall in U.S. history. In addition to Tanaka Corp, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, GM, Honda Motor Co and child seat manufacturer Graco Children’s Products have also been fined since 2014 for safety recall violations.

In April of 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted a Retooling Recalls event for transportation officials, auto industry representatives, safety advocates and researchers. The event was intended to identify more efficient ways to boost recall completion rates, an important focus with recalls at an all-time high.

Here on our blog in 2017 alone, we have reported several automaker-specific recalls to date for Nissan, Audi, Toyota, and Honda vehicles. We also included an article about Uber and Lyft vehicles with recalls that might go unheeded. Our goal is to keep the public and our readers informed of the potential dangers and safety hazards of recalled vehicles whether you are a passenger or a driver.

To check if your vehicle is affected by a recall, you can check for vehicle recalls by entering your VIN number on the NHTSA site: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

If you have been injured by a faulty auto part, The Gilbert Law Group® can provide proven representation for injured clients. Contact our auto product liability lawyers in Denver for a free consultation and to learn more about recovering compensation for your auto defect injuries. We represent consumers across the United States.